Control method of washing machine with liquid detergent supply device

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is a control method of a washing machine with a liquid detergent supply device, which allows a liquid detergent or a fabric softener to be supplied in an accurate amount depending on the amount of laundry. The control method includes detecting a weight of laundry supplied to a drum of the washing machine, determining a supply quantity of liquid detergent depending on the detected weight of laundry, and supplying the liquid detergent to the drum depending on the supply quantity of liquid detergent to perform a washing cycle and a rinsing cycle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a control method of a washing machine with a liquid detergent supply device and, more particularly, to a control method of a washing machine with a liquid detergent supply device, which allows a liquid detergent or a fabric softener to be supplied in an accurate amount depending on the amount of laundry.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, washing machines remove a variety of contaminants adhered to laundry, such as clothes, bedclothes and the like, using detergent emulsification, rubbing action of a water flow caused by rotation of a pulsator, impact applied to the laundry by the pulsator, and the like. Recently, fully automatic washing machines have been developed to automatically perform a series of processes such as a washing cycle, a rinsing cycle and a spin-drying cycle without user's manipulation during operation of the washing machine.

According to arrangement of a tub which receives laundry, such washing machines can be generally classified into a top-loading washing machine having an upright tub and a drum washing machine having a horizontally disposed tub. The drum washing machine can further reduce the total height of the washing machine while increasing washing capacity substantially without any laundry entanglement, as compared with the top-loading washing machine, and demand for drum washing machines has been gradually increasing.

In a conventional drum washing machine, with a powdery detergent, a bleaching agent, a fabric softener, and the like previously supplied into a detergent container before initiation of a washing operation, a series of processes such as a washing cycle, a rinsing cycle and a spin-drying cycle are automatically performed when pressing a start button after setting the kind of laundry or washing time on a control panel.

On the other hand, liquid detergents susceptible to dilution in wash water and ensuring excellent emulsification have been broadly distributed in recent years. If the liquid detergent is supplied to a drum of the washing machine where the wash water has already been supplied, it cannot be supplied thereto through an open door of the washing machine. Thus, in this case, the liquid detergent must be applied directly to laundry before supply of wash water or supplied to the drum through the detergent container.

In such a washing machine, direct supply of the liquid detergent to the laundry is liable to cause damage to the laundry and makes it difficult to supply the liquid detergent in a proper amount. If the liquid detergent is supplied through the detergent container to prevent such problems, it is also difficult to supply the liquid detergent in a proper amount as in the direct supply of the liquid detergent since the diluted amount of powdery detergent is different from that of the liquid detergent in wash water.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is conceived to solve such problems of the related art, and an aspect of the invention is to provide a control method of a washing machine with a liquid detergent supply device, which allows a liquid detergent or a fabric softener to be supplied in an accurate amount depending on the amount of laundry.

According to an aspect of the invention, a control method of a washing machine with a liquid detergent supply device includes: detecting a weight of laundry supplied to a drum of the washing machine; determining a supply quantity of liquid detergent depending on the detected weight of laundry; and supplying the liquid detergent to the drum depending on the supply quantity of liquid detergent to perform a washing cycle and a rinsing cycle.

The supplying the liquid detergent may include detecting a remaining quantity of the liquid detergent and displaying a detection result.

The supplying the liquid detergent may include discharging the liquid detergent from a liquid detergent container tank using compressed air.

The method may further include supplying a fabric softener to the drum depending on the weight of laundry to perform a final rinsing cycle after the rinsing cycle. The supplying a fabric softener may include discharging the fabric softener from a fabric softener container tank using compressed air.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a washing machine in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a liquid detergent supply unit and a fabric softener supply unit of the washing machine in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a control method of a washing machine in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a side view of a washing machine in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a liquid detergent assembly of the washing machine in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the drawings are not to precise scale and may be exaggerated in thickness of lines or sizes of components for descriptive convenience and clarity only. Furthermore, the terms as used herein are defined by taking functions of the invention into account and can be changed according to the custom or intention of users or operators. Therefore, definition of the terms should be made according to the overall disclosures set forth herein.

A control method of a washing machine with a liquid detergent supply device in accordance with one embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a washing machine in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a liquid detergent supply unit and a fabric softener supply unit of the washing machine in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a washing machine 100 according to one embodiment includes a cabinet 110, a tub 120, a detergent container 130, a liquid detergent supply unit 140, a fabric softener supply unit 150, and a controller 160.

The detergent container 130, the liquid detergent supply unit 140, and the fabric softener supply unit 150 are disposed inside the cabinet 110.

The detergent container 130 receives a powdery detergent, which is supplied into the tub 120 while being dissolved by wash water supplied through a water supply pipe 131 connected to a water supply.

The tub 120 is provided therein with a drum 125 to which laundry and wash water are supplied.

In the washing machine 100 of this embodiment, a liquid detergent and a fabric softener are respectively received in the liquid detergent supply unit 140 and the fabric softener supply unit 150 to be supplied in accurate amounts depending on the weight of laundry. Supply of the liquid detergent or the fabric softener depending on the weight of laundry is controlled by the controller 160.

The liquid detergent supply unit 140 includes a liquid detergent container tank 141, a supply pipe 143 which connects the liquid detergent container tank 141 to the drum 125 to allow the liquid detergent to be supplied to the drum 125 therethrough, and a detergent discharge part 145 which discharges the liquid detergent from the liquid detergent container tank 141.

The liquid detergent container tank 141 is provided at one side thereof with a pouring port 141 a through which the liquid detergent can be poured into the liquid detergent container tank 141, and therein with a detector 147 which detects a remaining quantity of the liquid detergent in the liquid detergent container tank 141. The detector 147 includes a first detection sensor 147 a for detecting a high level of the liquid detergent in the liquid detergent container tank 141 and a second detection sensor 147 b for detecting a low level of the liquid detergent therein. In this embodiment, electrode rods may be used as the first and second detection sensors 147 a, 147 b.

The supply pipe 143 is provided with a first open/close valve 143 a, which open or close the supply pipe 143 to allow the liquid detergent to flow according to control of the controller 160. In this embodiment, the supply pipe 143 is described as being opened or closed by the first open/close valve 143 a, but the invention is not limited thereto. That is, supply of the liquid detergent may be controlled without the first open/close valve 143 a.

Specifically, with one end of the supply pipe 143 connected to a lower end of the liquid detergent container tank 141, a part of the supply pipe 143 extending from the one end of the supply pipe 143 may be bent to pass through a higher point than an upper end of the liquid detergent container tank 141. When a part of the supply pipe 143 is located higher than the upper end of the liquid detergent container tank 141, the liquid detergent can be supplied into the drum 125 through the supply pipe 143 only by supplying compressed air into the liquid detergent container tank 141 through the detergent discharge part 145.

The detergent discharge part 145 for discharging the liquid detergent includes a first air-supply tube 145 a connected to the liquid detergent container tank 141 and a first compressor 145 b for generating compressed air. The compressed air generated by the first compressor 145 b is supplied into the liquid detergent container tank 141 through the first air-supply tube 145 a. When the compressed air generated by the first compressor 145 b is supplied into the liquid detergent container tank 141, the liquid detergent inside the liquid detergent container tank 141 is discharged through the supply pipe 143 by an air pressure of the compressed air.

In the detergent discharge part 145, the first compressor 145 b is controlled by the controller 160 such that a quantity of liquid detergent to be supplied to the drum 125 can be controlled depending on the weight of laundry. The controller 160 controls the first compressor 145 b to generate compressed air for a predetermined duration by calculating the supply quantity of liquid detergent based on the weight of laundry.

In other words, the detergent discharge part 145 allows the first compressor 145 b to generate compressed air for a predetermined duration according to control of the controller 160 and supplies the compressed air to the liquid detergent container tank 141 such that the liquid detergent in the liquid detergent container tank 141 is supplied to the drum 125 through the supply pipe 143 by the air pressure.

In this embodiment, the washing machine 100 further includes the fabric softener supply unit 150 which is also controlled by the controller 160 to supply an accurate quantity of fabric softener depending on the weight of laundry.

The fabric softener supply unit 150 includes a fabric softener container tank 151, a connection pipe 153 through which the supply pipe 143 of the liquid detergent supply unit 140 communicates with the fabric softener container tank 151, and a fabric softener discharge part 155 which discharges the fabric softener from the fabric softener container tank 151 according to control of the controller 160.

The connection pipe 153 is provided with a second open/close valve 153 a, which opens or closes the connection pipe 153 according to control of the controller 160. The fabric softener discharged through the connection pipe 153 is supplied to the drum 125 through the supply pipe 143.

The fabric softener container tank 151 is provided at one side thereof with a pouring port 151 a through which the fabric softener can be poured into the fabric softener container tank 151, and therein with a detector 157 which detects a remaining quantity of fabric softener in the fabric softener container tank 151. The detector 157 of the fabric softener supply unit 150 includes a first detection sensor 157 a for detecting a high level of the fabric softener in the fabric softener container tank 151 and a second detection sensor 157 b for detecting a low level of the fabric softener therein. In this embodiment, electrode rods may be used as the first and second detection sensors 157 a, 157 b.

The fabric softener discharge part 155 supplies compressed air into the fabric softener container tank 151 to control the discharge quantity of fabric softener depending on the weight of laundry. For this purpose, the fabric softener discharge part 155 includes a second air-supply tube 155 a which communicates with the fabric softener container tank 151, and a second compressor 155 b which generates compressed air. The compressed air generated by the second compressor 155 b is supplied to the fabric softener container tank 151 through the second air-supply tube 155 a.

When the compressed air generated by the second compressor 155 b is supplied to the fabric softener container tank 151 through the second air-supply tube 155 a, the fabric softener in the fabric softener container tank 151 is discharged into the drum 125 through the connection pipe 153 by the air pressure of the compressed air. At this time, the second compressor 155 b is controlled by the controller 160 to generate compressed air for a predetermined duration depending on the weight of laundry.

In other words, the fabric softener discharge part 155 allows the second compressor 155 b to generate compressed air for a predetermined duration according to control of the controller 160 and supplies the compressed air to the fabric softener container tank 151 such that the fabric softener in the fabric softener container tank 151 is supplied to the drum 125 by air pressure.

The controller 160 determines the supply quantity of liquid detergent or fabric softener depending on the weight of laundry and operates the first and second compressors 145 b, 155 b for a predetermined duration depending on the supply quantity of liquid detergent or fabric softener to supply the liquid detergent or fabric softener. Further, the controller 160 opens the first open/close valve 143 a and closes the second open/close valve 153 b during operation of the first compressor 145 b, and opens the second open/close valve 153 a and closes the first open/close valve 143 b during operation of the second compressor 155 b.

Further, the controller 160 allows a display unit of the washing machine 100 to display the level of the liquid detergent or the fabric softener if the level of the liquid detergent or the fabric softener detected by the detectors 147, 157 of the liquid detergent supply unit 140 and the fabric softener supply unit 150 is a predetermined level or less.

In the washing machine of this embodiment with the configuration as described above, when laundry is supplied to the drum 125, the controller 160 detects the weight of laundry and calculates quantities of wash water and liquid detergent or fabric softener to be supplied to the drum 125.

When the wash water is supplied to the drum 125 depending on the weight of laundry, the first compressor 145 b is operated for a predetermined duration so that the liquid detergent is supplied from the liquid detergent container tank 141 to the drum 125. At this time, the first open/close valve 143 a of the supply pipe 143 is open and the second open/close valve 153 b of the connection pipe 153 is closed.

When the washing cycle of the washing machine 100 is finished, the controller 160 controls the fabric softener supply unit 150 to supply the fabric softener to the drum 125 before a final rinsing cycle is completed. At this time, the controller 160 operates the second compressor 155 b for a predetermined duration so that the fabric softener can be supplied in a proper amount to the drum 125 depending on the weight of laundry. When the fabric softener is supplied, the first open/close valve 143 a of the supply pipe 143 is closed and the second open/close valve 153 a of the connection pipe 153 is open.

Next, a method of controlling the washing machine according to the embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a control method of a washing machine in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, when laundry is supplied to the drum 125, the weight of laundry is detected by a weight detector (not shown) in S10, and the controller 160 calculates quantities of wash water and liquid detergent or fabric softener to be supplied into the drum 125 depending on the weight of laundry in S20. In this embodiment, the supply quantity of liquid detergent or fabric softener is calculated based on a level of wash water supplied to the drum 125 by the weight of wash water.

When the supply quantity of liquid detergent or fabric softener is calculated in S20, the wash water is supplied to the drum through the water supply pipe 131 in S30, and the remaining quantity of liquid detergent is detected using the detector 147 in S40. At this time, the controller 160 determines that the level of the liquid detergent is a predetermined level or less based on the detection result of the liquid detergent by the detector 147 in S41. If the level of the liquid detergent is the predetermined level or less, the controller 160 allows the display unit of the washing machine 100 to display lack of the liquid detergent in S43. If the level of the liquid detergent exceeds the predetermined level, the controller 160 operates the first compressor 145 b to supply the liquid detergent to the drum 125 for a predetermined duration in S45.

When supplying the liquid detergent in S45, the controller 160 operates the first compressor 145 b for a predetermined duration to control the quantity of liquid detergent supplied to the drum 125 depending on the calculation result of the supply quantity of liquid detergent (S20). Then, compressed air is generated by the first compressor 145 b and supplied to the liquid detergent container tank 141, so that the liquid detergent in the liquid detergent container tank 141 is discharged to the drum 125 through the supply pipe 143 for a predetermined duration by the air pressure of the compressed air. The controller 160 controls operation time of the first compressor 145 b depending on the calculation result of the supply quantity of liquid detergent (S20). Further, the controller 160 opens the first open/close valve 143 a and closes the second open/close valve 153 a while the liquid detergent is supplied.

When the liquid detergent is supplied to the drum 125 in S45, the washing machine 100 performs a washing cycle and a rinsing cycle according to control of the controller 160 in S50 and S60. While the rinsing cycle proceeds in S60, the controller 160 determines that the current rinsing cycle is a final rinsing cycle in S61. If the current rinsing cycle is the final rinsing cycle, the controller 160 operates the second compressor 155 b for a predetermined duration to supply a fabric softener to the drum 125 in S70.

When supplying the fabric softener in S70, the controller 160 controls operation time of the second compressor 155 b to control the quantity of fabric softener supplied to the drum 125 depending on the calculation result of the supply quantity of fabric softener (S20). At this time, the controller 160 opens the second open/close valve 153 a and closes the first open/close valve 143 a.

When the supply of the fabric softener is completed in S70, the final rinsing cycle is performed in S80.

Next, a washing machine in accordance with another embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a washing machine in accordance with another embodiment of the invention and FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a liquid detergent assembly of the washing machine in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the washing machine 100 according to this embodiment includes a cabinet 110, a tub 120, a drum 125 disposed inside the tub 120, and a liquid detergent assembly 200 which supplies a liquid detergent and a fabric softener into the drum 125.

The liquid detergent assembly 200 includes a liquid detergent container tank 210, a fabric softener container tank 220, a supply pipe 230 which connects the liquid detergent container tank 210 and the fabric softener container tank 220 to the drum 125, and a discharge part 240 which discharges the liquid detergent and the fabric softener from the liquid detergent container tank 210 and the fabric softener container tank 220, respectively.

The liquid detergent container tank 210 and the fabric softener container tank 220 are provided therein with detectors 211, 221 which detect quantities of liquid detergent and fabric softener, respectively. Further, each of the liquid detergent container tank 210 and the fabric softener container tank 220 is provided at one side thereof with a pouring port 213 or 223 through which the liquid detergent or the fabric softener can be poured thereto.

The supply pipe 230 is bifurcated at one end thereof into two portions, which are respectively connected to the liquid detergent container tank 210 and the fabric softener container tank 220, and is connected at the other end thereof to the drum 125. In other words, the liquid detergent and the fabric softener in the liquid detergent container tank 210 and the fabric softener container tank 220 are supplied to the drum 125 through a single supply pipe 230. Further, the supply pipe 230 is provided at the bifurcated portions thereof with first and second open/close valves 231, 233, respectively, to allow the liquid detergent and the fabric softener to be selectively supplied to the drum 125 through the supply pipe 230. That is, the first open/close valve 231 is provided to the portion of the supply pipe 230 connected to the liquid detergent container tank 210, and the second open/close valve 233 is provided to the portion of the supply pipe 230 connected to the fabric softener container tank 220.

The discharge part 240 includes a compressor 241 for generating compressed air, and first and second air-supply tubes 243, 245 through which the compressed air generated by the compressor 241 is supplied to the liquid detergent container tank 210 and the fabric softener container tank 220, respectively. Further, the discharge part 240 further includes third and fourth open/close valves 243 a, 245 a which are provided to the first and second air-supply tubes 243, 245 to open or close the first and second air-supply tubes 243, 245, respectively.

The compressed air generated by the compressor 241 is supplied to the liquid detergent container tank 210 and the fabric softener container tank 220 through the first and second air-supply tubes 243, 245, respectively. For this purpose, the first air-supply tube 243 is connected to the compressor 241 and the liquid detergent container tank 210, and the second air-supply tube 245 is connected to the compressor 241 and the fabric softener container tank 220.

Further, the first air-supply tube 243 is opened and closed by the third open/close valve 243 a, and the second air-supply tube 245 is opened and closed by the fourth open/close valve 245 a.

In the discharge part 240 with this configuration, when the compressed air generated by the compressor 241 is supplied into the liquid detergent container tank 210, the third open/close valve 243 a is open and the fourth open/close valve 245 a is closed. On the contrary, when the compressed air generated by the compressor 241 is supplied into the fabric softener container tank 220, the third open/close valve 243 a is closed and the fourth open/close valve 245 a is open. The discharge part 240 is controlled by the controller 250.

In this embodiment with the configuration as described above, the liquid detergent assembly 200 is controlled by the controller 250 to selectively supply the liquid detergent or the fabric softener to the drum 125 depending on the weight of laundry.

Specifically, when the liquid detergent is supplied to the drum 125, compressed air is generated by the compressor 241 according to control of the controller 250 and the first and third open/close valves 231, 243 a are open to allow the compressed air to be supplied to the liquid detergent container tank 210 through the first air-supply tube 243 and discharge the liquid detergent from the liquid detergent container tank 210. At this time, the fourth open/close valve 245 a is closed to prevent the compressed air from being supplied to the fabric softener container tank 220 through the second air-supply tube 245, and the second open/close valve 233 is closed to prevent the liquid detergent from infiltrating the fabric softener container tank 220 through the supply pipe 230.

Further, when the fabric softener is supplied to the drum 125, compressed air is generated by the compressor 241 according to control of the controller 250 and the second and fourth open/close valves 233, 245 a are open to allow the compressed air to be supplied to the fabric softener container tank 220 through the second air-supply tube 245 and discharge the fabric softener from the fabric softener container tank 220. At this time, the first and third open/close valve 231, 243 a are closed to prevent the compressed air from being supplied to the liquid detergent container tank 210 through the first air-supply tube 243 and to prevent the fabric softener from infiltrating the liquid detergent container tank 210 through the supply pipe 230.

According to the embodiment of the invention, in the control method of the washing machine with the liquid detergent supply device, the supply quantity of liquid detergent or fabric softener is determined depending on the weight of laundry, and the liquid detergent or the fabric softener is supplied in an accurate amount depending on the amount of laundry by compressed air supplied into a liquid detergent container tank or a fabric softener container through a compressor.

Although some embodiments have been provided to illustrate the invention in conjunction with the drawings, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments are given by way of illustration only, and that various modifications and equivalent embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the invention should be limited only by the accompanying claims. 

1. A control method of a washing machine with a liquid detergent supply device, comprising: detecting a weight of laundry supplied to a drum of the washing machine; determining a supply quantity of liquid detergent depending on the detected weight of laundry; and supplying the liquid detergent to the drum depending on the supply quantity of liquid detergent to perform a washing cycle and a rinsing cycle.
 2. The control method according to claim 1, wherein the supplying the liquid detergent comprises detecting a remaining quantity of the liquid detergent and displaying a detection result.
 3. The control method according to claim 1, wherein the supplying the liquid detergent comprises discharging the liquid detergent from a liquid detergent container tank using compressed air.
 4. The control method according to claim 1, further comprising: supplying a fabric softener to the drum depending on the weight of laundry to perform a final rinsing cycle after the rinsing cycle.
 5. The control method according to claim 4, wherein the supplying a fabric softener comprises discharging the fabric softener from a fabric softener container tank using compressed air. 